Other games this weekend

[beige]

Sevens results are interesting. Canada beat NZ to get into the final 4!

Shame Australia got done by Portugal in the group stages and couldn't capitalise!

[hertryk]

I reckon more of you need to e mail bomb...

[jargan83]

I reckon more of you need to e mail bomb...

Who and why are we email bombing?

[beige]

Who and why are we email bombing?

Come on, isn't that isolated and out-of-context sentence explanation enough?

[Alison]

Sarries' last gasp win over Racing - awesome!! Bath losing to Leinster - not awesome at all!

[shasta]

Come on, isn't that isolated and out-of-context sentence explanation enough?

No. But I'd guess the usual suspects - Rugby HQ.

[blueandblack]

Sharks forward Jean Deysel handed seven-week Super Rugby ban

Sharks forward Jean Deysel was banned for seven weeks after striking an opponent on the back of the head with his knee in a Super Rugby match last weekend.

Flanker Deysel was red carded after the late first-half ruck incident in the 52-10 loss to the Crusaders in Durban.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-0...by-ban/6376490

https://vine.co/v/OlHjwvIViP2

[WFDom]

One sided first half penalty count against the Brumbies.

Maybe Bernie should go and have a half time word with the ref?

[Sheikh]

Looks like he did!

[valzc]

Gotta say good cred to the Blues - they pulled it out when needed. Personally I've thought they haven't played as badly as everyone makes out so far this season at least they go out and have an honest go unlike the 'star x factors' reds. However I hope the Force can go one better. Brumbies looked a bit underdone this game. Pretty confident that Force can go pretty well in this contest version the Blues and also some some attackable options for the Force!

[WFDom]

Broncs v Chooks was great if you can catch it

[Buddha Handy]

I think Pocock showed tonight he is very capable of getting back to his best and taking back wallaby #7 and possibly captain in time for world cup (barring injury)

[SNOB]

Agree Buddha. Was saying during the game how good he was playing. Wonder if Cheika thinks the same though!
Once again an Au team loses due to the lack of a kicker!
We, as a rugby nation, have to start developing kickers, they don't have to be backs, centres, forwads or even wingers. We just need them to win us games at all levels.

[GIGS20]

It'll certainly be an interesting decision to watch snob. I'm convinced that, if both are fit, they'll both make the squad, but they are such different styles of player that it'll be interesting to see which way the caps fall.

I'm not sure that they would be entirely interchangeable, I think you'd have to have a Pocock style of game as opposed to a hooper style of game, possibly run some 'horses for courses' selection policy, but you'd probably want to train the entire middle of the field to cope with the difference between Pocock and Hooper.

Personally I'd play Pocock, because the Wallabies have ignored the breakdown too long and he was immense there against the Blues.

[andrewg]

Some stats to add to the discussion re Wallaby No 7.

Attachment 3772

I haven't collected ruck data for ALL games.

Have ruck data for 400 mins of Hooper's 480 mins played, 310 mins of Gill's 480 mins and 160 minutes of Pocock's 276 mins.

Pocock made 51 rucks against the Blues - 47 against the Cheetahs.
Hooper's best was 47 against the Rebels - least was 17 against the Brumbies.
Gill's best was 36 against the Waratahs - least was 30 against the Brumbies.

Attachment 3773

These stats are based on total game time to date and averaged across 80 minutes.


I'd choose the No 7 who:

1. Has high involvement in rucks - especially rucks in defence - with high impact.

2. Averages the most turnovers per game.

3. Is a strong/reliable ball carrier.

4. Makes high number of tackles and misses few (high efficiency).

On these stats the choice is clearly Pocock (BUT is really only based upon 2 full games)